Running head: COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DESIGN 1

Competency Assessment for Practicum Design

Elizabeth Ruth Nantaba

Bay Path University

DNP Capstone I (NUR765Z0)

Dr. Cheryl Sheils

May 23, 2021

COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DESIGN 2

Competency Assessment for Practicum Design

Essential I: Scientific Underpinnings for Practice DNP student Needed Needed for
competency for project practicum
rating 1-5
Competencies
1. Integrate nursing science with knowledge from ethics, the 4 *
biophysical, psychosocial, analytical, & organizational
sciences as the basis for the highest level of nursing
practice
2. Use science-based theories and concepts to: 5 *
a. determine the nature and significance of health and
healthcare delivery phenomena;
b. describe the actions and advanced strategies to
enhance, alleviate, and ameliorate health and health
care delivery phenomena as appropriate;
c. and evaluate outcomes
d. Develop and evaluate new practice approaches based 4 *
on nursing theories and theories from other disciplines
Essential II: Organizational and Systems Leadership DNP student Needed Needed for
for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking competency for project practicum
rating 1-5
Competencies
1. Develop and evaluate care delivery approaches that meet 4 *
current and future needs of patient populations based on
scientific findings in nursing and other clinical sciences, as
well as organizational, political, and economic sciences.
2. Ensure accountability for quality of health care and patient 4 *
safety for populations with whom they work.
a. Use advanced communication skills/processes to lead
quality improvement and patient safety initiatives in
health care systems.
b. Employ principles of business, finance, economics,
and health policy to develop and implement effective
plans for practice-level and/or system-wide practice
initiatives that will improve the quality-of-care
delivery.
c. Develop and/or monitor budgets for practice initiatives
d. Analyze the cost-effectiveness of practice initiatives
accounting for risk and improvement of health care
outcome
e. Demonstrated sensitivity to diverse organizational
cultures and populations, including patients and
providers.
3. Develop and /or evaluate effective strategies for managing 4
the ethical dilemmas inherent in patient care, the health
care organization, and research.
Essential III: Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for DNP student Needed Needed for
Evidence-Based Practice competency for project practicum
COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DESIGN 3

rating 1-5
Competencies
1. Use analytic methods to critically appraise existing 5 *
literature and other evidence to determine and implement
the best evidence for practice.
2. Design and implement processes to evaluate outcomes of 4 *
practice, practice patterns, and systems of care within a
practice setting, health care organization, or community
against national benchmarks to determine variances in
practice outcomes and population trends.
3. Design, direct, & evaluate quality improvement 4
methodologies to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient,
equitable, and patient-centered care.
4. Apply relevant findings to develop practice guidelines and 4
improve practice and the practice environment.
5. Use information technology and research methods 4 ^
appropriately to:
a. collect appropriate and accurate data to generate
evidence for nursing practice, inform/guide database
designs that generate meaningful evidence for nursing
practice, analyze data for practice, design evidence-
based interventions;
b. predict and analyze outcomes, examine patterns of
behavior and outcomes and identify gaps in evidence
for practice
6. Function as a practice specialist/consultant in collaborative 4
knowledge-generating research.

7. Disseminate findings from evidence-based practice and 4 *

research to improve healthcare outcomes.
Essential IV: Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care DNP student Needed Needed for
Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health competency for project practicum
Care rating 1-5

Competencies
1. Design, select, use and evaluate programs that evaluate 4
and monitor outcomes of care, care systems, and quality
improvement including consumer use of health care
information systems.
2. Analyze and communicate critical elements necessary to 3 ^
the selection, use and evaluation of health care information
systems and patient care technology.
3. Demonstrate the conceptual ability and technical skills to 3 ^
develop and execute an evaluation plan involving data
extraction from practice information systems and
databases.
4. Provide leadership in evaluation and resolution of ethical 4
and legal issues within healthcare systems relating to the
use of information, information technology,
communication networks, and patient care technology.
COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DESIGN 4

5. Evaluate consumer health information sources for 4

accuracy, timeliness, and appropriateness.
Essential V: Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care DNP student Needed Needed for
competency for project practicum
Competencies rating 1-5
1. Critically analyze health policy proposals, health policies, 5
and related issues from the perspective of consumers,
nursing, other health professions, and other stakeholders in
policy and public information.
2. Demonstrate leadership in development and 4 *
implementation of institutional, local, state, federal, and/or
international health policy
3. Influence policy makers through active participation on 4 *
committees, boards, or taskforces at the institutional, local,
state, regional, national, and/or international levels to
improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.
4. Educate others including policy makers at all levels, 4 *
regarding nursing, health policy, and patient care
outcomes.
5. Advocate for the nursing profession within the policy and 4
healthcare communities.
6. Develop, evaluate, and provide leadership for health care 4 *
policy that shapes health care financing, regulation, and
delivery.
7. Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies 4 *
within all healthcare arenas.
Essential VI: Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving DNP student Needed Needed for
Patient and Population Health Outcomes competency for project practicum
rating 1-5
Competencies
1. Employ effective communication and collaborative skills 5 *
in the development and implementation of practice
models, peer review, practice guidelines, health policy,
standards of care and/or other scholarly products.
2. Lead interprofessional teams in the analysis of complex 4 * *
practice and organizational issues.
3. Employ consultative and leadership skills with 4 * *
interprofessional and interprofessional teams to create
change in health care and complex healthcare delivery
systems.
Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for DNP student Needed Needed for
Improving the Nation’s Health competency for project practicum
rating 1-5
Competencies
1. Analyze epidemiological, biostatistical, environmental, 5 *
and other appropriate scientific data related to individual,
aggregate, and population health.
2. Synthesize concepts, including psychosocial dimensions 4
and cultural diversity, related to clinical prevention and
population health in developing, implementing and
COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DESIGN 5

evaluating interventions to address health

promotion/disease prevention efforts, improve health
status/ access patterns and/or address gaps in care of
individuals, aggregates, or populations.
3. Evaluate care delivery models and/or strategies using 4
concepts related to community, environmental and
occupational health, and cultural and socioeconomic
dimensions of health.
Essential VIII: Advanced Nursing Practice DNP student Needed Needed for
competency for project practicum
Competencies rating 1-5
1. Conduct a comprehensive and systematic assessment of 5
health and illness parameters in complex situations,
incorporating diverse and culturally sensitive approaches.
2. Design, implement, and evaluate therapeutic interventions 5
based on nursing science and other sciences.
3. Develop and sustain therapeutic relationships and 5
partnerships with patients (individual, family or group)
and other professionals to facilitate optimal care and
patient outcomes.
4. Demonstrate advanced levels of clinical judgment, 5
systems thinking, and accountability in designing,
delivering, and evaluating evidence-based care to improve
patient outcomes.
5. Guide, mentor, and support other nurses to achieve 5
excellence in nursing practice
6. Educate and guide individuals and groups through 5
complex health and situational transitions.
7. Use conceptual and analytical skills in evaluating the links 5
among practice, organizational, populations, fiscal and
policy issues (Moran, Burson, & Conrad, 2019).
Key:
Assessment Explanation
1-5 Self-rated competency 5=highly competent, 1= less competent
* Competencies needed for the scholarly project
** Identified professional growth need for the project
^ Additional identified professional growth need

Concept Map
COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DESIGN 6

References
COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT FOR PRACTICUM DESIGN 7

Moran, K. J., Burson, R., & Conrad, D. (2019). The Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly

Project: A Framework for Success (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Publishers.